My daughter, who has Crohns Disease, recently underwent surgery for a
small bowel obstruction caused by adhesions from a subtotal colectomy
performed a few weeks ago. What was to be an hour long surgery turned
into 9 hours, as the surgeon discovered her entire small bowel was
covered with adhesions. His description was that it was as if someone
had "welded" her small bowel all together. She now has a tube (shunt)
running through her entire small bowel (which is now 2 feet shorter due
to previous surgery and this one) which will allow the bowel to stay
open as the adhesions inevitably form again. My question is, even if
her bowel does not obstruct again is she going to be living with
constant pain? Certainly she was in pain before they even discovered an
obstruction, as the x-rays and Upper GI's did not show obstruction
immediately, and she was in excrutiating pain for over a week before
diagnosed. I'm trying to do all the research I can on adhesions etc.
and I am not encouraged :( Has anyone ever heard of adhesions forming to
this extent? Surgeon said he had seen cases "as bad" as my daughter's,
but none worse.. not encouraging, either.